A new millet cafe named Banayana has been established at Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district under the Odisha Forestry Sector Development Project (OFSDP) Phase-II, by the Ghumusar North forest division. The cafe, operated by members of the Vana Sarankhana Samiti (VSS) of Kotibiradi and Kulad, was inaugurated by Bhanjanagar MLA Pradyumna Kumar Nayak on Wednesday evening.
The cafe will serve a variety of nutritious breakfast items made from millets, along with evening snacks. According to Himasu Sekhar Mohanty, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Ghumusar North, the cafe will also showcase and sell value-added non-timber forest products (NTFPs) prepared by different VSSs in the Ghumusar North forest division with support from OFSDP-II. These products include pickles, bari (sun-dried lentil dumplings), pampad (papad), and other NTFP items.
The initiative aims to promote sustainable alternative livelihood opportunities for forest fringe communities, thereby reducing their dependency on forests and alleviating human pressure on forest resources. Mohanty emphasized that the active participation of women VSS members in the venture is fostering women's empowerment and strengthening community-based forest conservation efforts.
